Special Events
John's Night is one of the oldest Latvian holidays.
It is well know by other nations of Europe.
Summer solstice is on June 23-24, the longest day and the shortest night of the year. All over Latvia, all through the night people burn fires, sing songs, dance, drink beer and eat cheese. Beer is brewed specially for the event and a special cheese is prepared with caraway, which is called John's cheese. People wear wreaths of flowers and greenery, spend the night around bonfires, and sing summer solstice songs. It is during this night that all the men who are called Janis are given special honour by putting oak-tree wreaths on their heads. Young people go to the forest to look for a fern flower, which is believed to bloom only during this night, which brings happiness and love to those who find it.
Song Festivals have always been national festivals in the consciousness of the Latvian nation. People attend song festivals to be aware of them as a united Latvian nation. Love for the mother country and mother tongue is sung in songs and danced in folk dances. Song festivals are the highlights of Latvian culture and history.
Almost 30 000 singers and 15 000 dancers took part in the XXII Song Festival in the summer of 1998. So this summer's special Song and Dance Festival dedicated to Riga 800th anniversary makes for an opportunity not-to-miss.
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